MAXIMUM SYNTH

NEON is three late summer nights of synthwave-soaked sonic nirvana.

Welcome to the heart and soul of NEON, where we lovingly bring together some of the most iconic and underappreciated Synthwave, Outrun, Retro Synthpop, Darksynth and related artists in the world onto one stage (that happens to boast a massive, killer video wall).

What is Synthwave? Sometimes referred to as Futuresynth, it’s a fairly recent genre of electronic music that is mostly (but not exclusively) instrumental and incorporates the unique sounds and production techniques common in 1980's (and some early 1990's) electronic music, with a heavy focus on science fiction, horror, or action film score aesthetic. Think of artists like John Carpenter, Vangelis, and Tangerine Dream, and you have a solid idea of what we're talking about.

Given its film soundtrack roots, it should come as no surprise that Synthwave and related genres are mostly concerned with conveying a mood. They can paint an auditory canvas with a rainy cyberpunk dystopia, an endless summer, or a desperate midnight car chase with ease. Synthwave is the soundtrack of Retrofuturism, and it is showing up everywhere.

Check out our 2018 lineup to see the types of musical acts we feature, and know that 2020 will be even bigger.